'Ukraine is not a bargaining chip,' Valérie Hayer tells Euronews

Published on 27/03/2026 - 10:39 GMT+1

"Ukraine is not a bargaining chip, and Iran's warfare is not our war," Renew Europe's President Valérie Hayer told Euronews from Helsinki connected Friday, wherever she is starring a parliamentary ngo connected security.

The French wide person pushed backmost against US caput of authorities Marco Rubio's proposition that, if Europe does not assistance the US successful Iran, Washington volition go little progressive successful securing a bid woody successful Ukraine.

Both European and Ukrainian officials hold a US-led backstop volition beryllium indispensable to reason information guarantees for Kyiv. Without the US participation, the bundle won’t beryllium arsenic beardown successful deterring aboriginal aggression from Russia.

Speaking earlier travelling to France for a G7 meeting, Rubio made wide the US administration’s vexation with European allies’ refusal to assistance the US-Israeli violative against Iran, calling connected them to assistance re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

“I deliberation it was a mates of the leaders successful Europe who said that this was not Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine is not America’s war,” Rubio said.

For Hayer, a displacement of attraction from Ukraine would beryllium "a immense mistake.”

"Russia is the archetypal menace to us," Hayer said, considering that defending Ukraine should stay the "top priority" for European leaders.

Asked if the Europeans should assistance the Trump medication to unfastened the Strait of Hormuz, she said the absorption is connected vigor and unlocking the waterway for Europe’s ain needs, not conscionable America’s demands. The Strait of Hormuz carries 1 5th of planetary oil.

"This is not a question of helping Americans. This is simply a question of vigor security. What we person done until present [...] is besides to determination connected to biology transitions. We are excessively babelike connected fossil fuels, we request to beryllium much independent."